Recording and reproduction of waveform based on sound board vibrations

Abstract

In a musical instrument, such as a piano, having a sound board, the sound board vibrates in response to vibrations of a string responsive to depression of a key. A waveform corresponding to such vibrations of the sound board is detected and recorded. The recorded vibration waveform is usable for reproduction of a sound based on sound board vibrations. In a sound reproduction apparatus, such as a piano, having a sound board, an excitation device physically excitable in response to an input waveform is provided on the sound board. A signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board is received, and the excitation device is driven in accordance with the received waveform signal so that the sound board is vibrated. Thus, a sound based on the sound board vibrations can be replicated or reproduced with a high quality.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A musical instrument comprising;
 at least one performance operation key;   at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of said at least one performance operation key;   a sound board;   at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of said at least one sounding member in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key;   a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of said at least one sounding member to said sound board;   a vibration waveform detector configured to detect a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of said sound board and said transmission joint; and   a controller configured to perform control for storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said vibration waveform detector in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key.   
     
     
         2 . The musical instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , which further comprises an operation detector configured to detect an operation of said at least one performance operation key, and
 wherein said controller stores information identifying the at least one performance operation key whose operation has been detected by said operation detector and the vibration waveform into the memory in time-serial association with each other.   
     
     
         3 . The musical instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a damper device operable to damp vibrations of said at least one sounding member; and   a damper behavior detector configured to detect behavior of said damper device, and   wherein said controller stores information indicative of the behavior of said damper device detected by said damper behavior detector and the vibration waveform into the memory in time-serial association with each other.   
     
     
         4 . The musical instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said sounding member is a string, said striking member is a hammer, and said transmission joint is a bridge provided on said sounding member for supporting the string in a stretched-taut state. 
     
     
         5 . The musical instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , which further comprises an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by said excitation device are transmitted at least to said sound board,
 wherein said controller is configured to further receive a waveform signal based on the time series of the vibration waveforms stored in said memory and input the received waveform signal to said excitation device, so that physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by said excitation device and sounds of the music piece or phrase are generated by at least said sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by said excitation device.   
     
     
         6 . The musical instrument as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said excitation device is a device that comprises same hardware as said vibration waveform detector. 
     
     
         7 . A sound reproduction apparatus comprising:
 a sound board;   an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by said excitation device are transmitted at least to said sound board; and   a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of said sound board and input the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to said excitation device, so that physical vibrations according to the input signal indicative of the vibration waveform are generated by said excitation device and a sound is generated by at least said sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by said excitation device.   
     
     
         8 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said signal indicative of the vibration waveform received by the controller comprises a time series of vibration waveforms corresponding to a music piece or phrase so that sounds of the music piece or phrase are generated by the physical vibrations of the sound board. 
     
     
         9 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the vibration waveform is stored in a memory, and said controller receives the vibration waveform read out from the memory. 
     
     
         10 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the vibration waveform is a vibration waveform detected by a vibration waveform detector of a musical instrument, and said musical instrument comprises:
 at least one performance operation key;   at least one sounding member configured to physically vibrate in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key;   a sound board;   a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of said at least one sounding member to said sound board; and   said vibration waveform detector configured to detect a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of said sound board and said transmission joint.   
     
     
         11 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , which is mounted on said musical instrument, and wherein said excitation device is a device comprising same hardware as said vibration waveform detector. 
     
     
         12 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , which further comprises a drive unit configured to automatically drive said at least one performance operation key, and
 wherein said controller receives, in association with the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform, information identifying said at least one performance operation key and automatically drives said at least one performance operation key via said drive unit on a basis of the received information identifying said at least one performance operation key.   
     
     
         13 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , which further comprises a prevention device configured to prevent said at least one sounding member from physically vibrating in response to an operation of said at least one performance operation key; and
 wherein, when said controller automatically drives said at least one performance operation key via said drive unit on the basis of the received information identifying said at least one performance operation key, said controller actuates said prevention device to prevent said at least one sounding member from physically vibrating.   
     
     
         14 . The sound reproduction apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , which further comprises a damper device operable to damp vibrations of said at least one sounding member; and
 a damper drive unit configured to automatically drive said damper device, and   wherein said controller receives, in association with the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform, information indicative of behavior of said damper device and automatically drives said damper device via said damper drive unit on a basis of the information indicative of the behavior of said damper device.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method for storing performance information of a musical instrument, the musical instrument comprising: at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of the at least one performance operation key; a sound board; at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of the at least one sounding member in response to an operation of the at least one performance operation key; and a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of the at least one sounding member to the sound board, said method comprising:
 a detection step of detecting a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of the sound board and the transmission joint; and   a step of storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said detection step in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method for reproducing a sound in a sound reproduction apparatus, the sound reproduction apparatus comprising: a sound board; and an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by the excitation device are transmitted at least to the sound board, said method comprising
 a step of receiving a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board and inputting the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to the excitation device,   wherein physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by the excitation device and a sound is generated by at least the sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by the excitation device.   
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a processor to perform a method for storing performance information of a musical instrument, the musical instrument comprising: at least one performance operation key; at least one sounding member each provided in association with one of the at least one performance operation key; a sound board; at least one striking member each configured to physically vibrate one of the at least one sounding member in response to an operation of the at least one performance operation key; and a transmission joint disposed in such a manner as to physically transmit vibrations of the at least one sounding member to the sound board, said method comprising:
 a detection step of detecting a vibration waveform corresponding to vibrations of at least one of the sound board and the transmission joint; and   a step of storing, into a memory, a time series of the vibration waveforms detected by said detection step in correspondence with a music piece or phrase performed using said at least one performance operation key.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program executable by a processor to perform a method for reproducing a sound in a sound reproduction apparatus, the sound reproduction apparatus comprising: a sound board; and an excitation device physically excitable in accordance with an input waveform signal and disposed in such a manner that physical vibrations generated by the excitation device are transmitted at least to the sound board, said method comprising
 a step of receiving a signal indicative of a vibration waveform of the sound board and inputting the received signal indicative of the vibration waveform to the excitation device,   wherein physical vibrations according to the input waveform signal are generated by the excitation device and a sound is generated by at least the sound board physically vibrating in response to the physical vibrations generated by the excitation device.